Audio 3:11
Peru set to extradite Australians

Lexi MetherellUpdated
Thu 21 Jun 2012, 3:09 PM AEST

45-year-old, Lino Rodriguez Vilchez was working at a hotel in Miraflores in Peru, when he died after falling from a balcony. His brother, Wilber Rodriguez Vilchez, claims a group of six Australians were involved, and authorities are preparing to order their extradition.

Transcript

TANYA NOLAN: The World Today has learned that six young Australians could face extradition within weeks over the death of a man in Peru.

Lino Rodriguez Vilchez died after falling 15 storeys from a hotel room in Miraflores, in January.

Peruvian media initially reported the death as a suicide, but the man's family says he was murdered, and has implicated the six Australians in his death and now they say Peruvian authorities have told them that the group will be extradited over the matter.

Lexi Metherell reports.

LEXI METHERELL: Lino Rodriguez Vilchez worked as a porter at a hotel in Miraflores in Peru.

He died after falling from a balcony on the 15th floor. Peruvian media have reported that police initially found the 45-year-old's death was a suicide.

Wilber Rodriguez Vilchez denies that's the case. He says his brother died after he went to a room to tell a rowdy group of Australians staying there to quieten down.

WILBER RODRIGUEZ VILCHEZ (translated): They hit him inside the apartment. They beat him savagely. It's been forensically proven. They threw him out of the window where he hit another building. It's physically impossible for him to have reached the other tower - impossible.

LEXI METHERELL: One of the Australians accused of being implicated in the death refused to comment when contacted by The World Today.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says;

EXTRACT FROM A STATEMENT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE: The Australian embassy in Lima provided consular assistance to an Australian man from Victoria who was part of a group of Australians on holiday in Peru who assisted police in an investigation following a death at the apartment building where they were staying.

Following advice received from the police officer in charge of the investigation, the embassy advised the group that they would not need to give any further declarations and could continue with their travel plans.

LEXI METHERELL: But the matter is reportedly still being investigated, although police in Miraflores refused to provide any further details to The World Today.

WILBER RODRIGUEZ VILCHEZ (translated): Well, the documents have gone to the investigating judge who says within three weeks or a month they will order the extradition of these Australians who killed my brother.

LEXI METHERELL: Australia has an inherited extradition treaty with Peru, which means it can consider requests for extradition from that country.

However, a spokesman at the Peru embassy in Canberra told The World Today it's had no official directions on the matter from the Peruvian government. But he said it's possible it could request co-operation from Australian police to interview the group.

Lino Rodriguez Vilchez was reportedly in debt at the time of his death, but his brother Wilber rejects reports that his family is motivated by payments they would receive if it's found he didn't die by suicide.

WILBER RODRIGUEZ VILCHEZ (translated): No, what we are doing is seeking justice like anyone in any country would where a tourist who has been received with open arms has killed someone like an animal. You would do what I am doing.

TANYA NOLAN: That is Wilber Rodriguez Vilchez ending Lexi Metherell's report with help from Michael Vincent and Gemma Castle.